Opinion

Letter to the Editor-Tony Cappello

Posted:
01/28/2014 07:50:39 AM MST

Updated:
01/28/2014 07:54:56 AM MST

Dear Editor,One of our greatest fears is that we will see a human case of rabies in northeast Colorado. We have had too many instances where people have been exposed, not understood the consequences, and just happened to mention something to the right person in time to get treatment. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal for humans without post exposure prophylaxis treatment (there is no treatment for animals) and it's literally in our own backyards. A strain of skunk rabies has been popping up in the more rural areas of our region since 2007; but in 2013 we saw those rabid skunks migrating into populated cities and towns including Haxtun, Fort Morgan and Sterling. This new development heightened our concerns because when skunk rabies gets into populated areas, the risk for transmission escalates, especially in feral cat populations as they are similar in size and share similar habitats with skunks. In 2009 we saw 14 rabid animals in our region which was the most we had ever seen, in 2013 that number grew to 34. There comes a time when surveillance testing becomes limited to direct exposure incidents as the disease is known to be present and established in the community, that's the situation we found ourselves in this past summer; otherwise the number of rabid animals would be much higher.

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The trend is very clear, rabies cases are escalating in northeast Colorado and are spilling over into other animals which have included skunks, feral cats, cattle, a horse, and even a muskrat. Please know that we are sympathetic when your pets are involved in attacks. Nobody, including our staff, wants to see pets, who we know are many times members of your family, unnecessarily put down. Nor do we want to see our community members struggle to make that decision because of the financial burden of a lengthy, supervised strict quarantine. Please also know that as a pet owner you are the only one that can prevent this set of circumstances by simply having your pets vaccinated for rabies.We have been diligent with education regarding the importance of vaccinating your pets and the circumstances that can arise when you, as the caretaker of that pet, make the choice not to protect them with a simple rabies vaccination series. We have used newspapers articles, letters to the editor, radio interviews, public service announcements, social media, our website, in-store rabies information displays, posters, flyers and leaflets in post offices, feed stores, grocery stores, pet stores and local state parks; dating back to 2007. We are not the only organization putting out that information as our local veterinarians and humane societies have also stepped up their own education.The rabies regulations in northeast Colorado are not just the result of one governmental body. They are the result of a lengthy stakeholder meeting process that started in 2012 and included local, state and USDA veterinarians, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, as well as physicians, humane societies, law enforcement and animal control partners across our region. As a result of that stakeholder process, feral cats were added to be considered wild animals in northeast Colorado due to their increased risk of further transmitting rabies within the community. Our local regulations are more strict than the state regulations and that is allowable and enforceable under CRS 25-4-615. The reason our regulations are stronger is that the rest of the state is not experiencing the terrestrial rabies problem that we are in northeast Colorado. In addition, we saw two feral cats test positive for rabies in our region last year, both of which resulted in rabies exposure to several family members including two minors, all of which had to undergo post-exposure prophylaxis treatment. Because of the spike in terrestrial rabies we're seeing locally, if a wild animal attacks your pet and you can't find that animal, we must err on the side of caution and assume the attacking animal was rabid for the protection of public health and safety. This includes bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and other wild carnivorous animals, which in northeast Colorado, also includes feral cats. The only way to prove an animal does not have rabies is by testing the brain (which would require euthanasia) or having the animal undergo an observed quarantine to watch for symptoms. In either case, if the biting animal is not available, there is no way to ensure rabies transmission will not occur, and when dealing with a deadly disease, this is not a gamble we are willing to take. Our duty after a confirmed or suspected rabies exposure to your pet is to make sure that the disease cannot be further transmitted and that residents receive advice regarding post-exposure treatment if necessary. Since there is no post-exposure treatment for animals, how we proceed with them depends entirely on their vaccination status.For fully-vaccinated pets the only recommendation is that they receive another rabies booster and that you keep an eye on them at home for 45 days. Unvaccinated pets or pets that aren't fully-vaccinated and protected from rabies need the care and handling of a professional veterinarian for the first 90 days after exposure at the pet owner’s expense. This can be very expensive and currently there are few facilities set up in our region that have the infrastructure to house animals for extended stays. The only other option is to euthanize the pet. The reason for a lengthy quarantine for your unvaccinated animals is because the incubation period for rabies in animals can take that long. The cat that looks completely fine to you today could turn rabid at just about any time during this incubation period and you may not recognize the symptoms because not all animals with rabies become aggressive. Rabies can be transmitted through a minor scratch that may otherwise go unnoticed, to your child, your grandchild, or your neighbor; and if that person doesn't understand the significance of that scratch and seek post-exposure treatment (which is also very expensive), death is a very real possibility.We hate enforcing these regulations; it's hard on pets, their owners, and, whether you believe it or not, our staff. Please, if you're a pet owner, step up and protect your loved ones before you find yourself in this situation. Have your animals vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, as is required by local regulations. It's not only the right thing, but it's also the humane thing to do in a region that is experiencing a rabies outbreak.Tony CappelloNortheast Colorado Health Department

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